How many backyard grill masters do you know that are grilling steaks over seasoned hard wood fires? How many use a charcoal grill? When grilling steaks, I only concern myself with three levels of doneness: rare, medium rare and medium. Well done is really a no-brainer. When grilling steaks, preheat the grill on high for about 10 min. There are many methods and tips on grilling steaks . You like steak well done or medium rare?

Always use a spatula and not a fork when grilling steaks!! The fork pierces the meat and all the great juices run out! As the steak is cooking, the fat melts, naturally tenderizing the meat and building in flavor. You can get that steakhouse char by dipping the steak in a combination of butter and oil, coating it with a generous layer of kosher salt and cracked black pepper, and searing it over the hottest possible fire.

Steaks can be cooked to any desired doneness. Pork and lamb products should be cooked until the interior is pink. Whether indoors or out, be willing to wait that extra couple of minutes for the cooking surface to be really hot. The first step of the process is mostly cosmetic - to give the steaks those nice grille stripes. There are probably as many ways of cooking it as there are grilling chefs!

A medium-done steak is more evenly cooked with a brown exterior and semi-firm inner layers. Well-done steaks, on the other hand, are firm to the core. For the diamond pattern of grill marks, make quarter-turns halfway through cooking each side. You can also move it to other parts of the grill to avoid flame-ups. Most steak lovers will agree that one of the best way to cook a steak is on the bbq grill. Old (and not so old) pros can turn out a steak that will make your knees weak when you eat it. I do recommend grilling thick steaks to at least medium-rare, particularly for prime meat. The reason for this is that you want the internal fat marbling to warm up and become liquified for the juiciest and most tender grilled steak! A steak that gives very easy to touch and has no juices on the surface is medium-rare to medium. A steak that has very little juices and is only slightly firm to the touch is medium to medium-well. When you serve a grilled steak, even if you prefer it rare or medium-rare, the red center should be at least room temperature or warm. If you wait for the center to heat up on the grill, the outside will be burnt to a crisp! A medium-rare steak should feel just like the base of your thumb, spongy, with some bounce, while a medium steak, should have less bounce and be more firm, more like the center of your palm. It should have a nice, hot red center.

These days, with so many butchers who specialize in local, free range and/or organic meats, we are spoiled for choice. There is a great debate on what are the best grilling steaks available: the old classic favorites like rib eye and sirloin, that tend to be very well marbled and thus tender (and have a price to match), or the trendier and lesser known cuts of beef that are more economical. High flame seals the meat, chars the outside and gives it incredible flavor. Grilling food seems to be gaining popularity with the rise of the TV food shows. The availability of indoor grills, sometimes built into the stove top, has helped spur the interest in the oldest form of cooking.